How to add value to your home

The greatest risk for anyone selling their home in the current property market is to spend too much on the wrong things. It is important to make sure that you spend your hard-earned cash on adding value rather than giving it a spring makeover.
There are simple ways to increase the value of your home, property consultant Melissa Pearson says. She specialises in making sure that vendors are doing just that.
“There are many variables to earning money out of a sale. How you go about your preparation is everything,” she says.
Using Pearson’s advice, I have compiled a checklist to make sure that you get it right.
Choose the right agent and build a relationship with them. This is clearly the most important decision you can make. “As a team, collectively work towards not only providing yourself with a high-scale result but also ensure the buyer gets purchasing quality,” is Pearson’s advice.
Determine what is lacking and what is striking about your property. Develop the property to suit the purchasers of your home. If you have a one bedroom warehouse conversion, your potential buyer is not a nuclear family.
Colour is all important. Look at the period and type of dwelling. Bright orange and charcoal won’t work on a Federation or Edwardian property. “If the property needs a complete re-paint then I would suggest going with the colours being used at the present time and match that with the period/ style of the dwelling,” Pearson advises.
Always identify and enhance impact zones.Long halls, open kitchens and garden features are great to enhance. If you don’t have any, consider a striking feature wall or plant something striking in the garden, tub and all. Try to keep it simple and work with what you have.
Less is more. Whilst flowers can make the house look and smell great, you can overdo it. A simple arrangement in a place where they look like they belong is better than overcrowding the space with over-the-top arrangements. Don’t be scared to ask for help with flowers from your local florist.
Try to make the home inviting. This is especially so when showing through potential buyers. Pearson says: “Soft music that is either instrumental or easy listening playing in an appropriately chosen room and a subtle but noticeable scent that is fresh throughout the house is the way to go.”
There are three important smells to know about: fresh bread, cinnamon and coffee. Place a loaf of bread that has been soaked with vanilla essence or half a cup of coffee beans on a low heat in the oven or warm a couple of tablespoons of cinnamon in a pan and leave in a very low oven.
Good luck if you are selling. I hope these hints work.
From bnews, www.bnews.net.au